With negative cash flow, I’ve embarked on a mission to trim unnecessary expenses from my budget. In times of surplus cash before my home purchase, I hadn’t scrutinized my expenses for years. It’s not that I was lazy about budgeting; instead, I’ve always embraced the “pay myself first and spend the rest” strategy. Each month, […]
Three Sneaky Expenses That Are Ruining Your Budget Read More »
Now that cash flow is tight, I’ve reviewed all the expenses where I could potentially cut. One such expense is a private sports club membership. I joined the club in February 2023 when it was raining nonstop for three months. I was getting cabin fever so I decided to pay $180 a month for access
A Private Sports Club Membership Is Well Worth The Cost Read More »
Living paycheck-to-paycheck is an unpleasant financial experience. Not only does it mean needing to spend everything you have to make ends meet, it may also create an ongoing feeling of despair. Never feeling like you’ll ever get out of the rat race and retire is demoralizing! You might even have to get into debt to
Embrace Living Paycheck-To-Paycheck To One Day Be Free Read More »
While I consider myself frugal, there are instances where saving money isn’t worth the additional time investment. Let me share a story illustrating how excessive frugality cost me my health, productivity, and happiness. Recently, we decided to attend Monster Jam for the first time, an event featuring monster trucks racing and performing stunts. Getting there
Being Overly Frugal Can Be Terrible For Your Health And Happiness Read More »
In 2024, I am transitioning from a spender to a saver’s mindset out of necessity. I am returning to frugal habits reminiscent of my lifestyle in the first thirteen years after college. This change is prompted by the need to rebuild liquidity. One area I’m targeting to cut expenses is food. After a three-month experiment
How Couples Can Adopt The Same Financial Goals And Win Read More »
The end of the year is always the best time to reflect and plan. I’d like to share several financial moves you should make before the new year in order to protect your wealth and hopefully grow your wealth in a risk-adjusted manner next year. Those of us who invested in stocks, real estate, and many
10 Helpful Financial Moves To Make Every Year Read More »
Once I hit 45 in mid-2022, I decided to enter a decumulation phase. Instead of continuing to save and invest aggressively, I decided to spend more aggressively. One way to decumulate is to spend more money on food. Dying with an excess of money is suboptimal. If we do, it will have meant that we
Spending More Money On Food: An Experiment In Decumulation Read More »
Just like job loyalty, bank loyalty often doesn’t pay. I made the mistake of being a loyal employee for eleven years at my previous firm. If I had job-hopped, I probably could have made $1 million more in my career. During my capital raising process to buy a home with all cash, I’ve had to
Bank Loyalty Has Long-Term Benefits But Short-Term Costs Read More »
Most responsible adults who want children will strive to save and invest as much money as possible before becoming parents. However, after being a parent for six years, I realize this advice might not be ideal for living your best life. Everybody knows raising children is expensive, especially if you live in a major city.
Before Having Kids, Consider Spending Lots Of Money Read More »
Most people have a bank account where they securely receive, withdraw, and manage their cash. But is having just one banking relationship enough today when established banks are at risk to close down overnight? I don’t think so. After the collapse of SVB and Signature Bank, I decided to review our existing banking relationships and
The Ideal Number Of Banking Relationships To Feel Safe And Secure Read More »
